Graphics processing units (GPUs) are frequently used to operate on large amounts of data. The execution of GPU instructions may consume considerable power, especially in more powerful GPUs. Excess power consumption may be problematic, particularly in mobile graphics applications in which a battery is used as a power source.
A GPU may also encounter delays or stalls during processing of instructions. For example, when data needed for execution of instructions is not immediately available to an execution unit, there may be a delay associated with retrieving the data before execution can proceed. Avoiding execution delays may therefore improve performance.